Paris and her medieval latrines…a stroll with the Pear a year ago today.

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Like most of our Paris adventures this one started out kind of silly–

Moi to the Chef:  ” So how about we go find Paris’ oldest toilets today?”

 If only one could have seen the expression on my Chef’s face at this suggestion—priceless–almost like I had asked him play 18th century dress-up (something he secretly thinks is quite fun).

 I could tell he was somewhat intrigued.  So off we went–Line 4 metro from Vavin to Etienne Marcel in the 2nd arrondissement.

A stroll down rue Etienne Marcel and there it was–the 15th century tower which holds Paris’ oldest latrines (toilets).  We climbed the spiraling stairs and voila…covered in velvet and free of any signs of medieval vapors–looked like a royal toilet to me.

inside the vault of the staircase…almost there…only a few more steps!

Unlike most medieval potties which led to the outside, these had a kind of indoor plumbing–central ducts led to a pit in the basement.  They were also located on the wall that backed up to the fireplaces, which made them heated! Really luxurious for the 15th century.

So…can you guess the name of this medieval dwelling?  It was the hideaway of one big chicken…that is until they forced him out in 1419.

vacationland

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Sorry it’s been a while but this traveling pear has been so extremely busy that life seems to be speeding by without even a yield sign for slowing down! Over a week ago the Chef’s Momma and I blasted off from Texas headed for Maine.  The long journey began as usual, but turned into a rather perplexed affair–a canceled flight from Boston into Rockland due to thunderstorms threw the Chef’s Momma and I for a loop.  However, this girl has traveled enough to know what to do.  Gather your fellow travelers (there were only 6 of us) and make a plan.

A few phone calls later and we were in a van meandering our way out of Boston destined for Maine.  6 strangers (an art enthusiast from NOLA, a teacher from New Jersey, Paula Dean aka Chef’s Momma, moi, and a BBQ sauce toting couple from Memphis and their darling little Schipperke dog named Cappy–needless to say we were all interested in getting to know one another.  3-4 hours later we arrived in Rockland all well acquainted and just in time to catch the sunset.

And so began the week of enjoying Vacationland…

First there was the most amazing dinner at The Pearl restaurant where Chef Michele Ragussis, a finalist on the Food Network Star, cooks up a delicious seaside cuisine…pearls and all! Who knew when the Chef’s Momma ordered the fried oysters she would really find a *pearl*.  Sure enough she did, which surprised us all–including Chef Michele!  Totally like winning the lottery…how lucky.

Next was the Chef’s big affair–the Abbie Burgess’ Change of Command.  In all our 7 years we’ve only experienced one other Change of Command and the Chef wasn’t as involved in that one as he was this time.  Now that his role is to cook for the crew of the ship instead of guide it to shore,  his true talent can shine–and shine it did.  While he did have the help of his galley mate, that LeNotre training came through.  Beautifully carved watermelon fruit bowls and vegetable bouquets. He even tried his hand at creating a fondant buoy cake!

not bad for his first try

We wandered around the coast and even went for a sail around the Penboscot bay on the Schooner Heron which was made famous by the Johnny Depp movie ‘Rum Diary.”  It was “Sanderson’s yacht” which I vaguely remember.  Guess that means I need to watch the movie again!

A sailing kittty!

We ended one day by visiting the historic Beech Hill Preserve with it’s near 100 year old sodded roof rock cottage called Beech Nut and fields of wild blueberries.  From the bay you can see the little house and even from the distant shores of Owl’s Head you can catch a glimpse.

this is the view from the porch of the rock cottage Beech Nut

Of course the Chef’s Momma had to meet the lion who guards the Owl’s Head.

However, the day did come when she had to say good by to Vacationland and return home to the ever so hot South Texas–needless to say she’s already planning her fall trip back to the land of the endless vacation.

A little of this and a little of that…in Texas

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Yes, it’s been too long.  The last post was weeks ago.  It’s not that we haven’t got anything to say.  It’s just that one of us has been away.  While the Chef stayed back in Maine and welcomed the arrival of our household things (that had been held hostage for the last 5 months) I jetted off puddle jumped out of Rockland bound for South Texas.

Over the last few weeks I’ve helped my father tidy up our 25ft MacGregor sailboat “We’ll Sea” for selling.  She was the pride and joy of the Chef and I before Hurricane Ike sent her to dry storage in Central Texas.  She’s a darling little sailboat that’s really been loved, but is now too far from the coves and inlets of Maine for the Traveling Pear to enjoy.  She’s currently looking for a new coastal home.

Interested buyers can contact us directly. “We’ll Sea” is located near Corpus Christi, Texas.

I’ve indulged in my favorite BBQ from the legendary Kreuz Market in Lockhart, Texas outside of Austin.  Sausage and brisket served with bread on a piece of butcher paper–finger lickin’ good ya’ll.  A long neck Big Red soda made with “real sugar” to wash it all down is double yum!

Spent the day with my mother-in-law on the 10th floor of a Texas oil company listening to stories about the current oil boom that’s happening here in South Texas.  Then, later at her hacienda, she  taught showed me how to sew.  I’d still be there if she hadn’t jumped in.  She made the Chef and I some adorable French toile cafe curtains for our kitchen, a skirt for my desk and matching cushion for my chair–all thanks to that addictive site called Pinterest.  These were my inspiration pics:

The Chef isn’t sure about this…just wait until he sees it in action. Slap a skirt on your desk…and viola..no more crap creeping out!

I’ve helped my mother and father clean out the shed, introduced Momma to a new summer beer…the Shandy, picked figs, cooked figs, ate figs till my tummy said no more figs, walked the 4 legged friends outside, played with kittens, cuddled with Mr. Kitty and watched an afternoon of sunshine turn into an ominous electrified thunderstorm.

 

Sheba and her fur babies

Mr. Kitty longs to be free…

Of course a trip home wouldn’t be complete without a visit to the Amish, this time to pick up a home decor piece.

That black and white cowhide rug I’ve seen popping up all over design blogs will finally make its way to my living room.   My PETA friends will be mortified…I’m sorry, it’s all Pinterest’s fault.  I’ll make it up one day when I have that sheep and lamb sanctuary.

The inspiration pics:

 It’s  back to “Vacationland“aka “Maine” next week.  It really is Maine’s state slogan–posted all over their license plates.  To think we’ve found ourselves living in such a place.  Life works in mysterious ways.  However, it doesn’t mean we’re on an everlasting vacation (though I’d like to think that) work really does take place.  The Chef feeds his Coastie crew while I have a degree to finish and articles to write for the Parisienne Farmgirl Magazine and Belle Inspiration.  Until then…

How’s the sun-filled, ice cream licking, watermelon slurping, sunbathing, waterbaby season unfolding for you, wherever your silver bullet is parked?

A stroll through Paris…

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A year ago today, the Chef and I took a stroll through the city of our dreams, the city we called home.  Join us as we reminiscence.

watched the Bateaux Mouches float lazily along the river Seine

discovered the location of Marie Antoinette’s chocolatier

enjoyed a sugary cloud of barbe à papa

dodged gypsies at the Louvre

chased bees at the Jardin des Tuileries

admired the bold buildings at Place de la Concorde

wondered through passage Vivienne

energized with a picnic at the Jardin du Luxembourg

walked back home to rue Vavin

 

Where the U.S. ends and Canada begins

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Here’s a look at the weekend roadtrip the Chef and I made to the eastern most city in the continental U.S.–Lubec, Maine.  Along the way we couldn’t help but stop when we saw something unusual–a historic home, a fort complete with Civil War reenactors or a candy-cane lighthouse.

Looks mighty similar to a certain Normandy chateau…

Historic home Searsport, Maine.

Fort Knox–the original–and not home to America’s gold vault.

Time warp back to the Civil War

seriously unusual

Once we reached Lubec (charming little coastal village) and saw Canada just across the bay, we continued on.  Truth be told–we really wanted our passports stamped.  The nice Canadian customs agent asked just a few questions and then proceeded to hand us back our passports (not stamped).  Apparently it takes a 20 minute immigration check just to get the stamp.  Not wanting to hold up the line behind us, or endure what ever the immigration check entailed, we continued, disheartened into Canada, without the stamp.

West Quoddy Head Lighthouse… farthest eastern point in the US!

There on the island of Campobello, we discovered the one time summer home of the 32nd President of the U.S. –Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

Campobello Island, New Brunswick became a summer destination for America’s elite during the late 19th and 20th centuries.  It was here they built sprawling summer cottages to accommodate their large families, close friends and to enjoy coastal living.  I’m not sure if my expectations were too high because I’ve become accustomed to touring elegant chateaux that radiate grandeur and wealth, but I was  astonished in the furnishings, very modest.  However, I can quickly understand why–this was a home situated among the most scenic of areas.  How could one remain indoors when the seashore and forest beckon just a few feet away?  Not I!  It was nice to see the amount of dedication and enthusiasm for the preservation of an American heritage site–a joint effort by the United States and Canada.

FDR’s mother Sara purchased this house for $5k in 1909. Built in 1897 for Mrs. Hartman Kuhn, another city dweller who called Campobello home for the summers.

View from the beach

quaint kitchen–all original

Returning to the U.S. of A., our thoughts turned to food–and not Maine food, but food from home–Tex-Mex.  Guess we were feeling a tad bit nostalgic. Like searching out a needle in a haystack, we somehow found just what our tummies were craving.  A darling of a place where we filled up on salsa, tacos, rice and beans amidst a 1960s Volkswagen bus.  This is where the journey ended and the eastern most shore of the US all too soon became just a Traveling Pear memory.